This Gorgeous JD Souther Lyric Was Given Its Most Touching Interpretation by Linda Ronstadt in 1975

The late, great JD Souther penned a lot of great songs in his time. And even though he was a formidable recording artist in his own right, it often took the versions done by other performers to bring these songs to the mainstream. Linda Ronstadt covered several Souther songs during a stretch when she and JD were musical collaborators and romantic partners.

The gorgeous “Prisoner In Disguise”, recorded by Ronstadt as the title track to her 1975 album, might just represent the pinnacle of their work together.

From Supergroup to Duet Partner

JD Souther wasn’t long out of the band Longbranch Pennywhistle, which included future Eagle Glenn Frey, when he found himself in another unit. Spurred on by David Geffen of Asylum Records, Souther joined Richie Furay and Chris Hillman in the Souther-Furay-Hillman Band.

Geffen hoped to create another Crosby, Stills & Nash-style supergroup. But CSN was a more organic creation. The Souther-Furay-Hillman Band, despite the immense talent of all involved, couldn’t quite find an audience and disbanded after two LPs.

On the band’s second LP, the 1975 record Trouble In Paradise, Souther sang lead on their version of “Prisoner In Disguise”, which he also wrote. But the country-rock sheen that the trio layered on the song didn’t help it reach its full potential. Later that year, Souther was in the studio with Linda Ronstadt giving the song another go.

This time around, the instrumentation was limited to Souther’s acoustic guitar, Andrew Gold’s piano, and strings conducted by David Campbell. Ronstadt took the lead vocal, but much of the song is a straight duet with Souther. Those two fantastic voices located every ounce of tenderness and empathy in Souther’s aching melody and touching lyrics.

Exploring the Lyrics of “Prisoner In Disguise”

The narrator of “Prisoner In Disguise” begins by detailing the romantic struggles of the person they’re addressing. “You think the love you never had might save you,” Linda Ronstadt sings, but the twist in the melody suggests that it might not be as simple as all that. “Is it love or lies?” is the pertinent question.

Although the protagonist puts on airs as if they have it under control, the narrator knows better: “But if he doesn’t return your call on time/Oh my my.” The façade quickly crumbles in that event. “You just act like a fool on holiday,” the pair sings. “There’s nothing you wouldn’t try/You must be a prisoner in disguise.”

In the middle eight, the narrator suddenly becomes part of the story. It’s a neat little twist by Souther, because it makes the advice being given feel lived-in instead of condescending. Acknowledging those “lonesome breezes,” the narrator suggests aggression instead of caution when it comes to romance, “if you think you can win it.”

In the final verse, the narrator comments on the futility of it all in the unforgiving city where “everybody knows your number.” A stirring finish summarizes the quest: “You just run like a man with no reason to run/And no place to ever arrive.”

“Prisoner In Disguise”, as words and music, is stirring enough. But Souther’s sentiments take on another dimension when he and Linda Ronstadt sing to each other as if two old friends, each trying to impart some hard-earned wisdom about the frailty and folly of love to the other.

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